Torn Apart (Almost)
by CaitieCait101
Summary: Molly has something against joining the Order of the Phoenix and Arthur tries to figure out why. / Set during the First Wizarding War. Rated T out of pure paranoia. Enjoy :)


_The prompt for Muggle Music task 2 is for a couple to be having marital problems, so I went with that one. I'm using the extra prompts of 'Love will tear us apart,' respect, and desperation. This is written mainly for_ _ **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)**_ _. The other challenges/resolutions this qualifies for will be included at the bottom._

 _ **Disclaimer**_ _: I don't own Harry Potter._

 _Torn Apart But Pieced Together_

"I'm not saying you can't join. I _never_ said you couldn't join. What I _said_ , was that _I_ wouldn't be joining. Your participation is entirely up to you, Arthur."

He felt like tearing out every piece of hair on his head; love was tearing them apart. Or it was giving it a pretty good shot, anyway. "But _why_ , Molly? Why? You were all for it three days ago, when we originally got the letter. So what changed? That's what I'm trying to understand."

His red-haired wife sighed and turned her back to him, resuming her shepherd's pie. "I don't think we should talk about this anymore. At least, not right now."

"You can't just run away, dear. Not from me and not from the war." He was trying to be patient, but it was getting harder. "We need to face this head on."

Her hand stilled and when she spoke again her voice was cold. "I'm not running away. I'm prioritizing. There's a difference."

"Prioritizing what? Your life over others? I didn't think you were like that, Molly. Don't you understand that there are people _dying_ out there? Why are you suddenly being selfish?" The moment the word slipped out his anger dissolved. Before he even took note of the tightness of her shoulders, guilt embraced him like an old friend.

He expected anger. He expected yelling. He expected screaming and crying. Basically, he expected her to cause a scene. She didn't do any of those things, though. She didn't even act as though she had heard him, but, judging by the new viciousness she handled the meat with, she had. A tense silence fell around them. He would have interrupted, attempted to soothe her, _something_ , but he had no idea how to fix this. The words were out and he couldn't take them back. He wished he could just pluck them out of her mind and deposit them back into his, but there was no way to do that.

 _Someone should really invent a spell for that_ , he thought to himself, frustrated. _Wait, no, that would be Obliviate, which wouldn't be a good idea for this situation_.

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to speak. "I'm sorry, darling, I didn't mean that. You aren't selfish. At all. I'm just confused. Why have you changed your mind about the Order?" Desperation soaked his tone as he pleaded with her.

She turned around, facing him. There was something different about her, he noticed. A certain kind of determination. Of course, his wife was and always had been a very determined woman, but this was different. She seemed to have made her decision about something. He wasn't sure yet what it was, but found out soon enough.

"Arthur…" there was a sort of anxiety in her voice and her facial expression. "I don't really know how to say it, but… well, I'm pregnant."

He stood, not entirely sure where his feet were taking him until he felt himself lifting his arms and wrapping them around her. He realized he was grinning widely as he embraced her. "That's _wonderful_ news, dear. Why in the world were you so worried about it?"

She shook her head. "We're in the middle of a war, love, and we're going to be having a kid. That's terrifying. _Absolutely_ terrifying. It's also why I won't be joining the Order. I want to be able to take care of him or her, without worrying that one day I may not be coming home to them. It would also give me peace of mind if you wouldn't join, but that's your choice and I respect that completely. Just, please, if you do join, be careful."

Arthur didn't even have to think about it. "No, I don't think I'll join. I may help them out from time to time, but I think I'll stay right here, with my family. If that's okay with you?"

She nodded, tears in her eyes. A moment later she noticed their presence and laughed. "Sorry, hormones, I suppose."

"Don't be." With that, he pressed his lips against hers and all was well.

* * *

 _This is probably one of my shortest works. I don't know why I struggled so much with this, but I did. I could probably have changed what it was I wrote about, but I really wanted to do this. Hopefully it turned out halfway decent._

 _Challenges:_

 _ **200 Characters in 200 Days**_ _– Molly Weasley (39)_

 _Resolutions:_

 _Write 300 drabbles – 1/300_

 _Write 500 drabbles – 1/500_


End file.
